Building a better future doesn’t happen by chance. It happens because people choose to act. This spring, thanks to the collective power of advocates across Ohio, a movement took hold. One by one, conversations were had, calls were made, and a vision for Ohio’s future began to take shape at the Statehouse and beyond. Funding for Ohio’s seat at the regional passenger rail table cleared a major hurdle, signaling not just progress today but the foundation for what comes next.

Across the country, momentum is building. In Erie, leaders are moving forward with plans that could reconnect Ohio to New York by rail. In Kansas, bold investments are turning plans into progress, bringing new service closer to reality. National advocates like the Railway Supply Institute are amplifying the call for sustainable infrastructure, tying Ohio’s efforts to a much larger movement taking shape across the country.

The story of what happens next - in budget meetings, in committee rooms, in the corridors where decisions are made - is being written right now. And with every new voice that joins, every message sent, every community that steps forward, Ohio comes closer to the future it deserves...

Laying the Tracks for Ohio’s Rail Renaissance

This spring, All Aboard Ohio (AAO) mounted one of its most strategic and coordinated advocacy efforts yet, and the results are already showing.

Through early engagement, direct legislative outreach, and rapid grassroots mobilization, AAO successfully secured funding in the Ohio House’s operating budget for the state to rejoin the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) - a critical step toward rebuilding Ohio’s place in regional rail development.

But this campaign was about more than one budget line. It was a demonstration of what is possible when voices from across the state come together around a shared vision: a better-connected, more competitive, and more sustainable Ohio.

Our future isn’t happening to us, it’s being built by us. And it’s being built by rail.

Strategic Advocacy: A Plan in Motion

AAO’s advocacy strategy began long before the first budget drafts were released. In March, we held a Statehouse Day of Advocacy, meeting face-to-face with more than 50 legislators and staff to lay critical groundwork. We emphasized that investing in passenger rail isn’t just about transportation - it’s about economic development, job creation, workforce mobility, and building vibrant communities.

That early foundation proved critical when unexpected challenges arose: when the state’s transportation budget was introduced, MIPRC membership funding was omitted. When the first draft of the operating budget (House Bill 96) was released, it was missing again.

Recognizing the urgency, AAO immediately launched a rapid-response communications campaign. In just 36 hours, more than 1,500 calls, emails, and messages were sent to House offices by supporters across Ohio.

We made it clear: Ohio’s economic competitiveness, connectivity, and future prosperity are tied to a robust and connected rail system.

Thanks to that collective pressure, the House Finance Committee added MIPRC membership funding into its substitute version of House Bill 96, and when the full House passed the bill, the funding remained intact.

Strategic planning, grassroots advocacy, and unified action made the difference.

Lessons from Erie: The Power of Regional Rail Investment

Ohio’s momentum comes at a time when states across the country are advancing bold new investments in passenger rail.

In Erie, Pennsylvania, leaders are rallying support to expand service on the Lake Shore Limited line, which connects Erie west to Cleveland and Chicago and east to Buffalo, New York City, and Boston. While the proposal is still gaining ground, growing interest from elected officials signals a renewed focus on restoring and enhancing rail connections across northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

This effort is distinct from the push to expand Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian service, which currently runs once daily between Pittsburgh and New York via Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The Pennsylvanian expansion, backed by current infrastucture investments, will add a second daily round-trip to better serve communities along that corridor. While separate projects, both initiatives reflect the same regional ambition: to create faster, more frequent, and better-connected train service that meets modern needs.

The lesson is clear: early investment and collaboration across state lines can lay the groundwork for transformative, long-term progress.

Ohio must move with the same urgency. We can’t afford to let opportunity pass us by while others chart the course for the future.

Kansas: Investing in the Future While Others Risk Falling Behind

In the Midwest, Kansas recently secured a major victory for passenger rail, and it offers a powerful lesson for Ohio.

On April 10, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 125 into law, giving the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) full authority - and the resources - to begin expanding intercity passenger rail service, including the long-anticipated extension of the Heartland Flyer northward into Kansas.

This new law is a game-changer. It allows KDOT to spend from the state’s Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund without a spending cap through FY 2026. Funds can now be used for critical steps like environmental impact studies, preliminary and final engineering, rail infrastructure upgrades, and operational support for services like Amtrak.

The bill also includes a built-in accountability structure: grants and loans must be approved by the Kansas State Finance Council, which now has year-round authority to act, even during the legislative session.

And it’s not just an authorization. Kansas is backing it up with real dollars. Beginning July 1, 2025, $5 million will be transferred from the Kansas State Highway Fund directly into the Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund - a major down payment that will help Kansas meet federal Corridor ID requirements and prepare for future operations.

This success didn’t happen by accident. It was the result of years of tireless advocacy by groups like the Northern Flyer Alliance, who brought together business leaders, elected officials, and citizens to demand better transportation options.

As Deborah Fischer Stout, President of the Northern Flyer Alliance, explained: "When advocates work together with a unified voice, we achieve what many say is impossible. Kansas’s investment in passenger rail proves that community-driven action can shape transportation policy at the highest levels."

But Kansas’s victory isn’t just a local win - it’s a signal to the entire Midwest.

The Heartland Flyer extension will deliver access to essential services, educational institutions, regional airports, and business centers. It will drive economic development through tourism, job creation, and increased tax revenues. It will provide more travel options for both rural and urban communities and contribute to environmental gains by reducing traffic congestion and emissions.

Why does this matter for Ohio? Because every new piece of the Midwest rail puzzle makes the regional network stronger, and states like Kansas are stepping up with bold investments to claim their place in the next generation of rail connectivity. Ohio must move with the same urgency, or risk being left behind as the region builds a more competitive, connected future.

National Advocacy: Amplifying the Call for Passenger Rail Investment

Ohio’s leadership on passenger rail is part of a broader national movement for stronger, better-connected transportation systems.

Organizations like the Railway Supply Institute (RSI) are playing a critical role in advancing this momentum on Capitol Hill and in statehouses nationwide.

The Railway Supply Institute represents rail suppliers across the country, and its advocacy efforts focus on three key pillars:

• Engaging Congress to pass legislation that supports rail infrastructure expansion

• Working with federal agencies to develop regulations that foster rail innovation, safety, and sustainability

• Elevating the voice of the rail supply industry in national transportation policy discussions

Their work ensures that states like Ohio have the federal support needed to advance Corridor ID projects, expand service, and invest in modern, sustainable rail systems. Together, state and national advocacy amplify the message: America’s future must be built by rail.

Joining Voices, Building Power

AAO’s recent successes - and the victories unfolding across the country - share one key lesson: when voices join together, they cannot be ignored.

Every call, every email, every conversation with a legislator helped shift the conversation. Each individual action may seem small on its own. But when combined, they amplify into a movement that changes policy, secures funding, and builds the future we want to see.

Ohio’s success in restoring MIPRC membership funding in the budget - just like Kansas’s rail victory and Erie’s expansion efforts - proves that collective action works. When advocates, communities, businesses, and leaders come together with a unified message, real change happens.

The Work Ahead: Protecting Progress and Building Momentum

While the House budget victory is a major milestone, our work isn’t done yet. The operating budget must still pass through the Ohio Senate and conference committee. At the same time, AAO is focused on advancing key next steps, including:

• Protecting MIPRC membership funding in the final state budget

• Securing full support for the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC)

• Securing state funds to meet the 10% local match requirement for advancing projects through Step 2 of the FRA’s Corridor ID Program

• Advocating for the creation of an Office of Passenger Rail within ODOT or ORDC to oversee planning, development, and operations of Ohio’s future passenger rail system

• Advancing critical corridors, including the 3C+D Line (Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati), Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit, and Midwest Connect

  
  

Thanks to early advocacy and grassroots power, Ohio rail has momentum, but we must keep pushing forward.

Ohio’s future is being built right now - and rail must be part of it.

Help Build Ohio’s Future

The next chapter in Ohio’s transportation story is being written today. And it’s being written by people like you.

Stay engaged. Stay informed. Stay active.

Together, we can build a future that connects our communities, grows our economy, and provides more opportunities for every Ohioan.

Learn more, get involved, and join the movement at allaboardohio.org.